Mailbox signal



June 25, 1963 w. E. BUEDINGEN 3,095,

MAILBOX SIGNAL Filed July 2, 1962 INVENTOR fl anne 4, fez-114 651 United States This invention relates to improvements in devices for signaling the presence of mail in a known box construction for receiving mail on rural delivery routes, and particularly to a structure for automatic signaling whenever the door of the mail box has been opened.

The signalling device of the present invention is furnished as a sub-assembly adapted to be clamped on one mail box part for adjustment longitudinally and is provided with a pin detent adjustable transversely relative to the said one mail box part. Only a single hole need be made in said one mail box part for mounting the signaling device and that hole can be made in an area of considerable length so that its location is not critical because of two adjustments. One adjustment is relatively coarse and the other relatively fine so that exactly the required position is obtained. Another latch part on the mail box door acts positively on the detent to release the signal.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a mail box with the present signaling device applied thereto and with the door closed and the signal plate down.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mail box with its door open and the signal plate up;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the coaction of latch parts and of the detent of the signaling device;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and showing the signaling device portion which is clamped to the box part, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the signaling device when the signal plate thereof is in signaling position.

Referring specifically to the drawings, numeral 6 designates a mail box of generally rectangular shape but having a rounded edge 7 forming the upper box surface. One end of the box is normally closed by a door 10 pivoted at 11 to swing down below the box bottom 12. On the box edge 7, there is mounted a first latch member 15 which is so spaced on rivets 16 attaching the part to the box, as to provide a substantial space between the latch member and the box. The first latch member 15 is flexible and resilient and is formed with a bend 17 into which a second flexible and resilient latch member 20 may engage by way of a bend 21. The second latch member 20 is attached to the door 10 and extends downwardly beneath the latch member 1517 from the nested bends 17, 21. Thus when the latch member 21 is to be disengaged from the latch member 17, the second latch member 20 is bent toward the first latch member 15 so that the bend 21 tends to flatten and to be drawn out of the bend 17 as a pulling force is exerted on the second latch member 20. The second latch member 20 swings forward and downwardly under the first latch member 15 as the door 10 is opened.

The present signaling device sub-assembly comprises a base member 25 with a clamp 26 of generally box section shape and having a screw 27 for drawing the clamp sides together. Edges of the clamp 26 engage under the first latch member 15 and the sides of the clamping device are drawn tightly together for frictionally holding the signaling device longitudinally in place on the first latch member 15. The clamp 26 is preferably mounted on latch member 15 adjacent the rivets 16. The base 25 also has a hinge-like part 28 with ears 29 on which is pivotally mounted a signal plate 33 having ears 34 co-acting with the base ears for receiving a pivot 35.

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A helical spring 36 surrounds pivot 35 and bears at its respective ends on the base member 25 and the signal plate 33 to urge the signal plate away from the base member when a detent on the signal plate is released. The detent comprises a non-flexible and non-resilient tab '40 projecting from the end of the signal plate opposite the pivot 35 and the tab is shaped to have its end substantially parallel with the first latch member 15 outwardly of the bend 17, when the signal plate is is in non-signaling position. A pin 41 is adjustably mounted in the end portion of tab 40 'for adjustment transversely thereto and to engage the edge of a hole 42 in the first latch member 15. The pin 41 has the general shape of an Indian club and is so adjusted that the bulge of the pin 41 passes through the hole to a pre-deterrnined degree and puts the tab 40 and the signal plate 33 under tension. The end of the pin 4-1 extends toward the sloping surface of the second latch member 20 and is engaged thereby to provide a camming action whenever the latch member 20 is used to open the mail box door.

The present device is considerably simpler in structure and in adjustment than most mail box signaling devices in use heretofore and which are of the type automatically movable into signaling position as the box door is opened. The two latch members are respectively mounted on the mail box and on its door and are flexible and resilient for engagement forward of the box door to hold the door closed. The first latch member has a hole therethrough and the second latch member has a part extending below the first latch member and in sloping relation thereto for co-action with the detent of the signaling device. The signaling device is mounted on the first latch member for adjustment longitudinally thereof and is made of relative non-flexible and non-resilient material. A tab extending from the signaling plate has a rigid pin mounted adjustably therein for extending into the hole of the first latch member and transversely thereto. Hence the relationship of the pin to the edge of the hole is adjustable both longitudinally and transversely and allows the signaling plate to be put under any desirable degree of tension when the signal plate is in the non-signaling position. The sloping surface of the second latch member acts on the end of the pin as a cam for automatically releasing the pin as such second latch member is pulled to open the door latch.

I claim:

1. In a signaling device to be adjustably placed on a first latch member mounted on a mail box for co-action with a second latch member mounted on a door for the mail .box and with the first latch member having a hole therein, a base having a clamping portion for gripping the first latch member, a signal plate pivotally mounted on the base and having a tab portion extending therefrom, a pin extending from the tab for engagement in the hole in the first latch member, and a spring acting between the base and the plate for swinging the plate to an angle with the base upon pulling on the second latch member to press the pin from the hole and to dis-engage the two latch members.

2. Ina signal device to be adjustably placed on a first latch member mounted on a mail box for co-action with a second latch member mounted on a door for the mail 'box, the two latch members being flexible and resilient and engaging forward of the mail box and the first latch member having a hole therein, a base having a clamping portion for gripping the first latch member, a relatively non-flexible and non-resilient signal plate pivotally mounted on the base and having a relatively non-flexible and non-resilient tab extending therefrom, a pin extending from the tab for engagement in the hole in the first latch member, and a spring acting between the base and the plate for swinging the plate to an angle with the base upon pulling on the second latch member to press the pin from the hole and to dis-engage the two latch members.

3. In a signalling device to be adjustably placed on a first latch member mounted on a mail box for co-action with a second latch member mounted on the door for the mail box and with the first latch member having a hole therein, the two latch members being flexible and resilient and engageable forward of the mail box, a base having a clamping portion for gripping the first latch member, a relatively non-flexible and non-resilient signal plate portion extending from the base and having a tab portion extending therefrom, a rigid pin mounted for extension [by different distances from the tab for engagement with the edge of the hole in the first latch member, and a spring acting between the base and the plate for swinging the plate to an angle with the base upon pulling on the second latch member to press the pin from the hole and to dis-engage the two latch members.

4. In a signal device to be adjustably placed on a first latch member mounted on a mail box for co-action with a second latch member mounted on a door for the mail box, the first latch member having a hole therethrough, a base having a clamping portion for adjustment on and longitudinally along the first latch member, a signal plate pivotally mounted on the base and having a tab portion extending therefrom,la pin extending from the tab for engagement in the hole in the first latch member, the second latch member being shaped for camming engagement of a surface thereof with the end of the pin for releasing the pin from the first latch member, and a spring acting between the base' and the plate for swinging the plate to an angle with the base upon pulling on the second latch member to press the pin-tromthe hole and to dis-engage the two latch members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,428,423 Hurban Oct. 7, 1947 2,483,992 Young Oct. 4, 1949 2,730,298 Haserodt Jan. 10, 1956 2,874,895 Opp Feb. 24, 19519v 

1. IN A SIGNALING DEVICE TO BE ADJUSTABLY PLACED ON A FIRST LATCH MEMBER MOUNTED ON A MAIL BOX FOR CO-ACTION WITH A SECOND LATCH MEMBER MOUNTED ON A DOOR FOR THE MAIL BOX AND WITH THE FIRST LATCH MEMBER HAVING A HOLE THEREIN, A BASE HAVING A CLAMPING PORTION FOR GRIPPING THE FIRST LATCH MEMBER, A SIGNAL PLATE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE BASE AND HAVING A TAB PORTION EXTENDING THEREFROM, A PIN EXTENDING FROM THE TAB FOR ENGAGEMENT IN THE HOLE IN THE FIRST LATCH MEMBER, AND A SPRING ACTING BETWEEN THE BASE AND THE PLATE FOR SWINGING THE PLATE TO AN ANGLE WITH THE BASE UPON PULLING ON THE SECOND LATCH MEMBER TO PRESS THE PIN FROM THE HOLE AND TO DIS-ENGAGE THE TWO LATCH MEMBERS. 